Festive Flavors: Quick Cocktails to Elevate Your Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s the perfect time to amp up your holiday gatherings with fun cocktails that capture the season’s vibe. These drinks are quick to whip up and packed with all those amazing seasonal flavors your guests will love. With just a few simple ingredients and some creative spins, you can mix up tasty cocktails that go hand in hand with your Thanksgiving feast, bringing everyone together for a toast to gratitude and good times.
Sweet Potato Pie Old Fashioned
This cocktail uses the nutty and earthy flavors of sweet potato to uplift traditional baking spices and bourbon with a kick of sweetness that hits just right. It’s like a liquid sweet potato pie. Try this recipe for a quick and easy cocktail that is sure to be a crowd pleaser for the season of giving.
2 oz high proof bourbon
1 oz El Guapo Sweet Potato Syrup
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
2 dashes of aromatic bitters
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice and stir well. Strain over a king cube in an old fashioned glass and garnish with a lemon peel. If you have a sweet tooth, add mini marshmallows as additional garnish.
All Café, No Martini
A spin on one of the most popular cocktails of the moment, the Espresso Martini. This cocktail will win over whiskey and tequila fans alike. It’s a one stop shop of flavors to please any booze drinking crowd. But who has the time to shake up finicky espresso martinis for a group of guests during the holidays? Here is a fantastic solution to offer that’s easy to whip up in a flash and pairs well with any spirit base. Cantera Negra Café is a coffee liqueur made in small batches in Mexico. Its touch of smokiness and notes of coffee, hazelnut and dark stone fruit make a welcomed cocktail companion.
2 oz blanco tequila (or any spirit)
1 oz Cantera Negra Café
0.5 oz orange juice
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shale well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a dried orange slice.
Rye Buzz
When you’re dealing with big hearty meals, it’s nice to have a cocktail that will stand up to the flavors of the food. Hot honey has long been a favorite component for cocktails for every season, especially as the weather turns cold and the food gets heavier. This simple cocktail offers complex flavors in an easy build and is sure to make the crowd go wild.
2 oz rye whiskey
1 oz apple cider
1 oz hot honey
0.5 oz dry sparkling wine
3 dashes of orange bitters
Add all ingredients except the sparkling wine into a mixing glass with cubed ice. Stir well and strain into champagne flute and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Cheers to good friends, family, and unforgettable moments—let the festivities begin!
